3 students working on maths on a glass board
Open day registration desk
view across the Penrose paving towards Woodstock Road
someone reading in the common room
view across the south wing major atrium
people chatting in the common room
view down through the south atrium
view across the south wing major atrium staircases
coffee cup on a whiteboard table with mathematical writing
Cafe Pi servery
Penrose paving when wet

About Us

Oxford Mathematics

Mathematics is the engine behind Science in the 21st Century. It has both an inherent logic and beauty while also providing the structure and models from which physicists, chemists, biologists, medics, engineers, economists and social scientists build an understanding of our world and construct the tools to improve our lives.

Mathematics in Oxford embraces this power and diversity by combining its pure and applied mathematicians in one department and one building, ensuring collaborations both within and beyond Oxford. 

The department has around 250 staff on the main payroll (including over 100 faculty members). Teaching is central to the life of the department, and there are around 950 undergraduate students (including joint courses with other subjects), around 250-300 graduate students, and around 250 Masters students across 5 programmes.

Entrance to the Mathematical Institute

Head of Department

The current Head of Department is James Sparks.

We have a diverse department membership from many different locations around the world.
Mathematics is central to science and society, embedded in every discipline and every industry. We are very grateful for the support and resources we receive that enable us to maintain and grow our activities.
View of the old Mathematical Institute at 24-29 St Giles
From Roger Bacon in the thirteenth century to Roger Penrose in the twenty-first, Oxford has been critical to the development of mathematics.
view over the roof of the building entrance to the top of the tower of the winds observatory
external view of the approach to the building from gate 5
internal view of building staircases
view of the common room out to the tower of the winds observatory
view down through the aouth atrium
view down through the north crystal
common room
view down through the south crystal
view from above of staircases
Penrose paving when wet
presentation of the large lecture theatre
looking up into the common room from the entrance bridge
Mathematics is embedded in many aspects of the design and function of our new building from the Penrose Tiling at the entrance to the crystals in our Atria. We would be delighted to show you round.

 

University of Oxford Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division logo

The Mathematical Institute is part of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division at the University of Oxford. The division is home to the non-medical sciences at Oxford, spanning the full spectrum of the mathematical, computational, physical, engineering and life sciences.

Last updated on 24 Sep 2024, 10:19am. Please contact us with feedback and comments about this page.